Heroes and Thieves
by Tey'Imena
Summary: Haruno Sakura worshipped the god that was Uchiha Sasuke. "But maybe she didn't need a god. Maybe she only wanted a mortal man."  introspective character study; Sakura-centric. Slightly song!fic


Another fic for a fabulous friend of mine! She requested this one at the same time as _Superman Tonight_ (Seiya/Usagi; unrequited), and I actually did finish them around the same time, I just… forgot to post this one. D:

Prompt: Sakura/Sasuke, relationship changes.

Uh, I'm not entirely sure how Naruto got in this. But somehow he did. _

Also, the lyrics are not mine, either.

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**Heroes and Thieves**

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_Well disaster it strikes on a daily basis  
__I'm looking for wisdom in all the wrong places  
__But still want to laugh in disappointed faces  
__But you can't help me  
__I'm blinded by these_

_Heroes and thieves at my door  
__I can't seem to tell them apart anymore  
__Just when I've figured it out  
__Well darlin' it's you I'm without_

_

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_When Haruno Sakura was a little girl, Uchiha Sasuke was her God.

The first time she saw the brooding, dark-haired boy in her class, she knew that she had found the only person she would ever worship.

And worship him she did. She was ever faithful to her God, in word and thought and deed. Everything she did was for him – to follow him.

There were other girls who worshipped Sasuke, but none of them also _loved_ the Uchiha God like Sakura did. None of them were as close to him as she was. She was the one who knew him best.

And then the God left.

* * *

_Well I'm stubborn and wrong  
__But at least I know it  
__I keep moving along until I can get through this  
__But maybe this song is the best I can do it  
__So I'm patiently waiting on these_

_Heroes and thieves at my door  
__I can't seem to tell them apart anymore  
__Just when I've figured it out  
__Well darlin' it's you  
__Darlin' it's you, oh  
__Darlin' it's you I'm..._

_

* * *

_There's a funny thing about worship and love that Sakura didn't quite realize, especially when it came to gods. Specifically dark, brooding, vengeful gods like Uchiha Sasuke.

You can only love what you know. And it is nearly impossible to ever truly know a God.

Worshipping a god – worshipping anything, really – is a simple matter of desiring to do so, of _wanting_ to know the god. And Sakura was a very good worshipper.

But she did not _know_ her god. She did not_ know_ Uchiha Sasuke. And by not knowing him, she could truly love her god.

The first inklings of this realization came to her the night that Sasuke left Konohagakure. Nonetheless, she remained faithful to her god, and went to the one person she knew could reach her god and bring him back.

Naruto.

Sakura went to him because she knew, without a doubt, that if anyone could retrieve the god that Uchiha Sasuke was, then it was Naruto.

She knew him.

* * *

_Well it seems like I'm getting closer somehow  
__A flicker of peace that I've finally found  
__Thank you for believing in me now  
_'_Cause I do need it_

_Well give me a year or two  
__And I'll mend my ways and see these mistakes and  
__When I see the truth  
__Well darlin' trust me  
__When I can't see  
__I'll be coming back; I'll be coming back to you_

_

* * *

_Over the years, Sakura kept her faith in her god – and in Naruto. She knew that Naruto was the one, if anyone, who could reach her god and bring him back.

She kept repeating this, to bolster her faith.

Sasuke would return. Naruto had promised to bring him back, and Sakura knew that the blonde ninja always kept his promises. She knew him. He was loud and brash and annoying – and so confident in himself. Sakura knew him. She ought to, after all this time.

That thought suddenly struck the Haruno kunoichi with all the force of a lightning bolt.

_She knew Naruto_.

Even after all her years of worship and fidelity, she did not _know_ her god. She did not know Sasuke.

She could not love him in the way she wanted, no matter how much she wished to.

Sakura felt something twist in her gut. If she didn't love Sasuke, then what was she feeling for the dark-haired renegade?

And what was she feeling for Naruto? Naruto, who had always been there, who always came back, always kept his promises… Naruto, who she knew.

Sakura was almost certain that she wasn't in love with the blonde. But she was also fairly sure that she wasn't really in love with Sasuke – with her god.

She didn't know what to feel anymore. Even the happier emotions – joy, relief, curiosity – felt like betrayals.

She had – and did - worship the Uchiha god. But she did not love him. Sakura knew that, now. And if part of her was saddened by this revelation, she took it in stride.

The first time Sakura had seen Uchiha Sasuke, she knew he was a god, and knew she would always worship him.

But now, maybe she didn't need a god. Maybe she only wanted a mortal man.

* * *

_These heroes and thieves at my door  
__I can't seem to tell them apart anymore  
__Just when I've figured it out  
__Well, darlin' it's you  
__Darlin' it's you  
__Oh, darlin' it's you I'm without  
_

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**END**


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